


protection

by ZOMBIEDOG



Series: GIFT FICS [3]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 04:56:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16674925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZOMBIEDOG/pseuds/ZOMBIEDOG
Summary: “Repaying a debt” the mech whispered, reaching a servo up to gently pet at Hot Rod’s helm kibble, the clawed tips barely even scratching the paint as they moved to cradle his cheeks. “I’ve searched for you, throughhellandhigh-water. The little mech in Nyon whosomehowstole my spark and got away with it, thevery samewho gave me his rations, who didn’t show anounceof fear when he met my optics. The little mech IsworeI’d find”





	protection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SirenSong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirenSong/gifts).



It started in Nyon. Deadlock had just been a wondering mech, passing through the city on a mission when he stumbled across a mech. A mech made of fire and light, one who offered his very small rations of energon to Deadlock, even if he didn’t know the mech, didn’t know that Deadlock could have easily killed him and stolen the energon anyways if he truly wanted it. It was that same mech that somehow wormed his way into Deadlocks spark and processors, that smile never leaving the background as Deadlock stayed with him longer than he should have. He discovered that mechs name was Hot Rod, and Hot Rod was beautiful

It nearly ended on the battlefield. Blaster-fire echoing from all around as Deadlock raced through the fallen frames and leaking energon, occasionally gracefully shifting from alt to root-mode as he would tear mechs apart, zipping away before they would fall. His objective, his  _only_  objective, was to secure Megatron’s safety and take out as many _fragging Autobots as possible_. What he didn’t expect to see was that same little mech from Nyon, the fire barely a flicker and the light so dim Deadlock feared ( _yes_ , truly  _feared_ ) that it would go out. Hot Rod,  _his Hot Rod_ , had been abandoned, left to die as if he meant nothing to the Autobots, the cause he gave his life away to fight for. It made Deadlock’s energon boil in his lines

Deadlock could only look on in silent horror and disgust as Hot Rod was knocked aside by another fleeing Autobot, Tracks, knocked the mech aside before zipping off to catch up with the others who managed to survive the raid-turned-battle. Finials slanted and fangs bared, Deadlock raced to the fallen speedsters side before any other Decepticon could, crouching over his frame as feral snarls ripped through his engine and echoed across the now nearly-silent battle-field. The mech glanced down, checking over the little mech for any extreme injuries that needed immediate medic attention when he looked into those optics. Those same optics who had stared at him under the Nyonian sun, the  _same optics_  that twinkled so kindly and brightly when he was offered the energon,  _the same optics_ that now  _flickered_  and  _dimmed_  where they once  _flared_ and _lit alight_  Deadlocks spark

“ _Please_ ,” Hot Rod murmured, coolant slipping free from those optics, “make it quick. I’m _tired_  of suffering and I _just want to sleep_ , please”

Deadlock felt his lip-plates roll back in a snarl as he quickly gathered the little speedsters frame in his arms, holding him close to his chassis as he opened his comms and demanded Megatron have the medics prepare a medi-berth. His Hot Rod was injured, scared, and wanted to die. The Autobots  _thought_  they had known war but they hadn’t known Deadlock’s _true_  rage, not until they had abandoned  _his_  Hot Rod to  _die_ , like he was  _nothing_. Deadlock would show them, and he  _wouldn’t_ show mercy

* * *

It happened in Deadlock’s habsuite. Hot Rod was still recovering from the abuse he faced not only on the battlefield but amongst the Autobot ranks, often hiding away behind Deadlock’s larger frame or burrowed deeply into the many blankets the mech had decorating his berth. He would still whine and try to hide away every time he had to visit the medics, but when he felt Deadlock’s chassis smooshing his spoiler, he felt at ease knowing his decepticon would rather tear out his own spark than let anyone hurt him

* * *

_“Why didn’t you kill me?” Hot Rod had mumbled, optics dimmed as he watched the mech beside his medi-berth, his own plating twitching and pulling in close to his proto-form in the chance this mech would strike out. He could feel the pull of recharge knawing at his systems, yelling in his processor to let his body rest and heal, but he was behind enemy lines and had no allies or escape plan. He was absolutely terrified and just wished they would stop playing nice and just off him already_

_“Repaying a debt” the mech whispered, reaching a servo up to gently pet at Hot Rod’s helm kibble, the clawed tips barely even scratching the paint as they moved to cradle his cheeks. “I’ve searched for you, through_ hell _and_ high-water _. The little mech in Nyon who_ somehow _stole my spark and got away with it, the_ very same _who gave me his rations, who didn’t show an_ ounce _of fear when he met my optics. The little mech I_ swore _I’d find”_

_Hot Rod’s optics seemed to flash as he looked at Deadlock, a hesitant smile on his dermas as he reached a servo forward, placing it on the berths coverings before glancing back at Deadlock. The larger mech let his engines rumble as he reached his free servo up, lacing it together with Hot Rod’s before bringing it to his dermas and placing a small kiss on it_

_“You’re_ mine _now, and I_ won’t _let_ anyone _hurt you”_

_Hot Rod actually seemed to smile before he slipped into recharge_

* * *

Megatron was accepted by them both after he defended little Hot Rod from snappy cone-heads, _snarling_  and  _roaring_ and nearly sending the seekers flying through the halls when he caught sight of them pushing and shoving poor Hot Rod around. The warlord had even escorted Hot Rod to the habsuite he shared with Deadlock, not leaving until he made sure the little mech  _knew_ he had Megatron’s comm codes and that the security locks functioned perfectly. He also made sure to ask Soundwave to keep a sharper optic on that particular hallway, only leaving when Hot Rod bid him good-bye and the locks of the doors echoed through the halls

The warlord hadn’t expected Deadlock to approach him some cycles later, engines growling in warning as he pulled his leader aside, snarling and hissing as he explained in _explicitly graphic detail_  just what he would do if he so much as  _thought_ of hurting Hot Rod. After such a display, he hadn’t expected the speedster to give him permission to court Hot Rod, knowing Deadlock was already in the process of said task and would have more-than-likely be extremely hostile to any possible suitors

“Why are you allowing me this chance?” he remembered asking, arms folded across his chassis as he peered down at the smaller mech, optics dimmed in thought as Deadlock grumbled and huffed, his plating shifting this way and that, as if he were nervous. Deadlock didn’t do nervous

“I see the way you look at him and I’m not foolish enough to believe I can be around to protect him all the time. You’re our  _leader,_ you have more sway and protection than any mech even remotely close to this base. He told me about what happened, and how you helped him, he told me that was perhaps the safest he’s felt around anyone outside of our-  _my_ \- habsuite”

Megatron ex-vented as he lowered his helm, optics offlining as he lifted a servo to rest on Deadlock’s shoulder-plating

“I hope I’m not truly intruding on either of you”

An engine rev was all the response he got

* * *

If anyone had told Hot Rod he would wake from recharge only to find himself smooshed between two of the most infamous Decepticons, he would’ve laughed and asked them what bad high-grade dealer had screwed them over. But  _now_ , waking up with Deadlock nuzzling into the crook between his helm and shoulders while they used Megatron’s arm as a pillow, he found he didn’t hate the idea as much as he thought he would have originally. Especially when Deadlock would purr and blep and knead his armor if he rubbed his finials that particular way, or how Megatron’s servos would gently glide across his hip, tweaking and massaging the wires there as he went

Hot Rod had never felt so  _protected_  or  _loved_  in all of his cycles of living, but here, he felt like nothing could touch him. Not with both of his conjunx’ there to protect him. Optimus had made him burn Nyon down to the ground, and forced him to start again where he was alone and suffering, he made him lose  _everything_. But Megatron and Deadlock saw the light in him, they fanned the flame until it was a raging all-consuming fire, and they helped him return the favor

Megatron had even claimed _the matrix_  for him, keeping it locked away until Hot Rod was truly ready to embrace it and help heal and re-build not only Cybertron but  _Nyon_  as well. He had lost _everything_ , but with these two at his side, he had returned the favor

After everything he had been through, he was  _loved_  and  _safe_  and  _protected_ , and his people would thrive again


End file.
